Day 19 – Claire Tanner, paediatric nurse

What do you do for the Trust?

I am a paediatric nurse on Caroline Thorpe Ward with a special interest in mental health.

I have been in this role for two years. The role was developed so we can better support children and young people admitted to the ward with mental health issues. This involves improving the working relationship we have with child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), developing the service and implementing the changes required to offer appropriate care in line with best practice.

What makes you proud of your work?

I am continuously proud of the team on Caroline Thorpe Ward and overwhelmed by their enthusiasm and ability to embrace change.

What was your highlight of 2018?

Supporting a young person on a specialist plan in an attempt to prevent a long admission to a specialist unit. This involved a multi-disciplinary team approach, involving CAMHS; the assertive outreach team; Northern, Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group; a consultant paediatrician; dietitian; community nursing team and myself.